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Australia–based photographer Mark Lehn recently returned from Sabah, Borneo with an interesting new series. The project centers around the Bajau Laut people, a group of stateless boat-dwelling nomads who live off the sea through trading and fishing. With an increasing number of families moving to the mainland to seek work, and ongoing instability in the region—home to the Abu Sayyag a Muslim extremist network, which has resulted in multiple kidnappings—the fascinating culture of these last true marine nomads is at risk today. All of this has led to an increased presence in the area from Malaysian Military, with curfews being enforced and restricting the movement of the Bajau Laut people. The group’s dependence upon marine resources is presenting further challenges, such as depleting trade and food sources.
Mark has been fascinated with the group in South East Asia for a long time, and with their numbers diminishing he set out to photograph them before he no longer had the opportunity. Mark made sure he had all the proper help before starting, he self-funded the project and employed a local fixer to assist with the preparations and ensure safety was a priority. He was lucky—just a week after he left two Canadians were kidnapped in the Southern Philippines, not too far from where he was shooting.
[I learned] the value of having knowledgeable locals to support these kinds of projects. It would have taken me three times as long (at least) to get the results I did without them.
Mark hopes to return to some of the more remote Bajau Laut communities in the next year and develop the story further.
Check out more of Mark’s work at marklehn.com.